My car has 71k miles on it and I don't really like the ride, so I am going to work on the suspension. I will do coilovers, shocks, sfc's and replace some shot bushings.

What bushings should I replace with poly bushings? Are they difficult to change myselft with simple tools and a floor jack?

Thanks

 

you'll probably have trouble pressing some of them out. not sure how hard that is. although you could run to any shop and they would probably do it for you for a few bucks or a couple pizzas.

i would suggest, the lca, phb, sway bar and endlinks, and the torque arm mount bushing.

if you really want to tear into things the A arm bushings could be changed as well.

 

If you do the torque arm, do the trans mount.

 

I have never done it on a F body but I did it on my 72 olds cutlass. I put in all new front end bushings. I tried to do it my self and got frustrated and took them to a shop. It is rather dificult to press them in so I would leave that to a shop. It cost me $5 per bushing pushing out the old and in the new. I used the energy suspension set. also I heard if you want them to be a tad softer then normal witch may be a good idea they suggest to press the new poly part out of the sleeve and sand it alittle to help assist break in

 

A couple of years ago there was a huge thread titled "LCA's binding". To attempt a Cliff's Notes version of over 200 posts is to say:

(1) Your rear LCA's aren't really a good place for poly if your driving includes hard cornering, particularly if the road is wet or slippery.

(2) As long as you remember what's back there and don't drive like an idiot, you'll be OK in normal street driving.

To which I'll add that poly can be modded to remove some of the bind, at some cost in bushing/sleeve life.

And as far as removing the OE rubber bushings, I've always used an acetylene torch to heat the arms. Messy, smoky, and hot stuff can spatter (wear gloves).

Norm